A late intervention by the third umpire in today’s ODI between NZ and the WI’s prompted umpire Rudi Koertzen to thrust his left arm into the chest of Fidel Edwards as he came into bowl.

As the New Zealand innings was entering into its final overs, the third umpire had spotted that a delivery had actually resulted in an unexpected four and radioed through to Koertzen so he could signal the boundary. The trouble was that Edwards was already well into his run up, so when Koertzen stretched his left arm out in an attempt to halt play, he thumped the bowler in the chest.

Edwards subsequently went to pieces and bowled a series of no balls and wides and was visibly unsettled by Koertzen’s action.

The highlight of the first innings though was Nathan Astle’s century, crafted from careful beginnings and culminating in the three consecutive sixes in the very last three balls of the innings.

Astle’s last three shots were reminiscent of the magnificent double ton he inflicted on Nasser Hussain’s England in 2002 on the same ground.

The Kiwi’s, thanks to Astle, posted a score of 276, which on current form, should be too much for the tourists to chase.